Are lotions with water bad for your skin? Episode 157
Are lotions with water actually bad for your skin?
Veronica asks…I heard that using lotions with water is actually bad for your skin because as the water evaporates it removes the skin’s natural moisture and oil. Is this true?
Veronica’s question is an interesting twist on a theme that we have discussed a couple of times – and that is how moisturizers actually work.
There are two fundamental ways that lotions can moisturizer your skin: one way is to provide an occlusive barrier that prevents the moisture that’s already in your skin from evaporating. That’s what ingredients like, petrolatum, mine...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - January 24, 2017 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Randy Schueller Tags: Podcast Source Type: blogs
Is aloe vera lotion really good for skin? Episode 156
Is aloe lotion good for skin?
Gemma asks…I am a huge fan of Vaseline Intensive Care Aloe Fresh lotion. However, I have found another aloe lotion that is even cheaper: Perfect Purity. So I’m wondering can you tell me if the Perfect Purity will perform as well as my beloved Vaseline? Or should I just bite the bullet and save my dollars for a big bottle of the Vaseline Aloe Fresh?
Thanks to Gemma for taking the time to record her question. We can answer this pretty conclusively just based on reviewing the ingredients and we’ll cover that first. But then we we want to take this opportunity to talk more about aloe ver...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - October 25, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Randy Schueller Tags: Podcast Source Type: blogs
Are cosmetics poisoning our water supply? Episode 154
Should your cosmetics be biodegradable?
Fabi asks about biodegradable products… I have an outdoor shower and it drains into the ground and everyone tells me I have to have biodegradable shampoo, conditioner, and body wash for the ground. Can you explain biodegradable products? It’s really hard to find them. What they’re all about and why would it be important to use them? What are some pros and cons of these products?
This is a great question that we’ll try to answer but everyone should recognize that this is not our usual area of expertise. We’re not environmental chemists or water treatment specialists but we...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - October 11, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Randy Schueller Tags: Podcast Source Type: blogs
Can I use clay to shampoo my hair? Episode 136
Can I use clay to shampoo my hair?
Joneen says…I have a question about rhassoul clay. I’ve heard great things about using it as a shampoo. My concern, though, is mineral buildup. This is one of the results of hard water that has a negative impact on hair, and something I am currently experiencing and want to avoid in the future. I know rhassoul is largely silica and aluminum, but it does have some calcium and magnesium in it, the very same minerals that hard water contains that are so problematic. So it seems to stand to reason that these would also get deposited on the hair from using rhassoul. Is there a scient...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - June 7, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Perry Romanowski Tags: Podcast Source Type: blogs
Can I mix my own sunscreen? Episode 132
How do I find a sunscreen that doesn’t cause acne?
Allison asks…What’s the difference between a sunscreen and a sunblock? Also, what ingredients should I look for in a product that will not contribute to acne? And, when’s the best time to apply sunscreen in my morning skin care routine?
Sunscreens use UV absorbers to protect your skin while sunblocks use minerals like zinc and titanium compounds to scatter the sunlight and prevent it from reaching your skin. (Actually, the regulations in the US have changed recently and companies are not allowed to call their products sunblocks anymore.)
Both types of sun p...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - May 10, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Perry Romanowski Tags: Beauty Biz Podcast Sunscreens & self tanners Source Type: blogs
What ’s the best way to get rid of bed head? Episode 122
Does this bed head product really work?
Sasha asks…Can Ma Cherie Perfect Shower fix your bed better than regular water? Is this worth the money or is it nothing more than water mixed with leave in conditioner?
Let’s begin by talking about what causes bed head. First, you have to realize that there are two different kinds of bonds that control the shape of your hair. There are the disulfide bonds – these are very strong chemical bonds (kind of like the rungs of a ladder that keep the proteins in your hair locked in shape. These are very tough to break – think relaxer or straightening treatment. Then there...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - March 1, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Perry Romanowski Discover the beauty and cosmetic products you should use and avoid Source Type: blogs
What’s the best way to get rid of bed head? Episode 122
Does this bed head product really work?
Sasha asks…Can Ma Cherie Perfect Shower fix your bed better than regular water? Is this worth the money or is it nothing more than water mixed with leave in conditioner?
Let’s begin by talking about what causes bed head. First, you have to realize that there are two different kinds of bonds that control the shape of your hair. There are the disulfide bonds – these are very strong chemical bonds (kind of like the rungs of a ladder that keep the proteins in your hair locked in shape. These are very tough to break – think relaxer or straightening treatment. Then there...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - March 1, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Perry RomanowskiDiscover the beauty and cosmetic products you should use and avoid Source Type: blogs
Does WEN conditioner make your hair fall out? Episode 115
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Update from the Secret Society of Cosmetic Chemists
Perry was in New York for a meeting of the Secret Society of Cosmetic Chemists where he was installed as the organization’s Vice President Elect. He also attended an interesting talk about new anti-aging ingredients. The idea was to talk about how happy products make you rather than focusing on how they work or what they do. Another lecturer discussed that just because something is safe to eat doesn’t mean it’s safe for your skin. For ...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - January 12, 2016 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Randy SchuellerDiscover the beauty and cosmetic products you should use and avoid Source Type: blogs
Is Hoof Maker cream for horses really good for your nails? Episode 111
This study is often quoted as saying it worked better than or as well as 4% hydroquinone but 4 weeks is not long enough to judge that and again, and this was not about hexylresorcinol itself .”
Finally, the website Truth in Aging says…
”HR’s ability to target pathways in the skin that lead to hyperpigmentation has propelled it into the skin lightening ingredient category. There is also thought that Hexylresorcinol has more benefits as well, including an ability to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, increase protection against UVB and UVA rays, and improve the skin’s barrier against pollution an...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - December 8, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Perry RomanowskiDiscover the beauty and cosmetic products you should use and avoid Source Type: blogs
Do hair dye removing products like Color Oops really work? Episode 94
Do hair dye removing products, like Color Oops, really work?
Lenora in our Forum asks…There seems to be some debate on this in online forums, so I’m wondering if you guys can please answer if “Color Oops” can be damaging to the hair?
Thanks for the question Lenora but I think before we can answer how to remove haircolor we’re going to have to talk a little bit about how to put color into your hair.
How oxidative hair color works
We could spend an entire show, or maybe even several shows, just talking about hair color chemisty. It’s a very complex subject. But here’s the quick version....
Source: thebeautybrains.com - August 4, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Randy SchuellerDiscover the beauty and cosmetic products you should use and avoid Source Type: blogs
Can plant stem cells grow more hair? Episode 84
This study indicates that butyl avocadoate does reduce sebum production (although there was no control used in the study so it’s really hard to tell if the reduction in sebum just resulted from washing the scalp.) Regardless, all the study showed was less oil on the surface of the skin it did NOT measure any factors related to hair growth. So the only evidence for this ingredient doesn’t even support the primary claim.
The Beauty Brains bottom line
Tyler asked what you can expect to see from this technology. The answer is…we can’t find any evidence that this product will do anything to your hair beyond reducing hai...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - May 26, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Randy SchuellerDiscover the beauty and cosmetic products you should use and avoid Source Type: blogs
Do mild cleansers really get your hair clean? Episode 83
On this week’s podcast we talk about the effectiveness of mild hair cleaners and other interesting beauty science news.
Should natural beauty products be patented?
We think one advantage of natural beauty products (and natural medicines for that matter) is that they are available to anyone to use without having to pay “Big Beauty” or Big Pharma in the case of drugs. That’s why I was surprised to see this story out of Australia that confirms that, as a type of intellectual property, natural ingredients and formulations are being granted more patents than any other segment of cosmetics. They say that “there i...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - May 19, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Perry RomanowskiDiscover the beauty and cosmetic products you should use and avoid Source Type: blogs
How can I tell if my shampoo is really natural?
Uma asks…I actually bought a Rustic Art shampoo that claims to be all natural , does not test on animals , is pH balanced, no sulphates, great for the environment and all those good things. I was skeptical as I thought since its so good it wont lather and might just clean my hair and wont be like using silicones and stuff…I didn’t mind as I wanted a natural shampoo. To my surprise, it lathered really well…just needed a small amount too for the lather! Also my hair felt real soft by the end of the wash which I never felt from other shampoos till I used a conditioner…I am really hooked to this and now I am skeptica...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - May 9, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Randy Schueller Source Type: blogs
How to tell if your makeup primer is worth it. Episode 71
This week Randy and I explain how to test your makeup primer to see if it’s worth the money.
Improbable products
You know this game – I look for beauty products that are just too ridiculous to be true, then I make up one that’s even more ridiculous and challenge Perry to guess which one is fake. Can you spot the phony?
The HeMan nail brush
If you’re too macho for those dainty plastic brushes that women used to scrub their fingernails then you’ll love this new brush made from an actual galvanized box nail with bristles attached to one side.
The iBrush
There’s nothing worse than wanting to sn...
Source: thebeautybrains.com - February 24, 2015 Category: Consumer Health News Authors: Perry RomanowskiDiscover the beauty and cosmetic products you should use and avoid Source Type: blogs
